Category Archives: Forum

SAVE BSNL, SAVE NATION (8) – Immediate refund of Rs. 6,700 crores for the spectrum surrendered.

04 Saturday Apr 2015

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Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, Communications Minister has stated that he will not allow BSNL to die and all support will be given for its revival. He can do one thing immediately.

It is the refund of the amount of BWA spectrum which BSNL has surrendered to DOT two years back. BSNL had paid a total of  Rs. 18,500 crore to the Government  for both 2G and BWA spectrum. Out of this BWA spectrum worth about Rs. 6,700 crores has been returned back and it was assured by the government that this amount  will be refunded. Though it is more than two years, the government is keeping the money with them without refund.

In the same way, an amount of Rs. 1,250 crore has already been allotted to BSNL for 2012-13 from USOF in lieu of ADC, but that also has not been paid for no reason at all.

BSNL is  in financial difficulty to purchase equipment urgently required for expansion and development.  The Government should immediately disburse these amounts to BSNL for the above purposes.

As stated above, Communications Minister can ensure that these amounts are paid to the BSNL immediately so that it can purchase equipment.

 

 

21-22 April strike by BSNL Workers – Conciliation by CLC on 9th April 2015

04 Saturday Apr 2015

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNL News, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, Forum, TU News - India

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The Chief Labour Commissioner has fixed conciliation meeting at 03.00 PM on 9th April 2015 with BSNL Management and Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations on the Strike Notice issued by the latter for 21-22 April 2015. The meeting will be held at Shakti Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi – 110001.

The Conciliation meeting on the strike notice issued by the BSNL Casual Contract Workers Federation (BSNLCCWF) on 21-22 April 2015  will also be held at the same date and time.

SAVE BSNL, SAVE NATION (3) – No Merger of BSNL and MTNL

27 Friday Mar 2015

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The Government is proposing to merge BSNL and MTNL. It had already formed a committee for the purpose of examining the issues connected with the merger. Months back, the government has stated that the merger will take place by June 2015, and before that a meeting with the unions will be held. It means that the government on their own will take the decision; after that a meeting will be held with the union to convey their decision. The workers and their unions do not agree to this.

The MTNL was formed in the 1980s bifurcating from the DOT. Nobody wanted the bifurcation. BSNL was formed in 2000 against the strong opposition of the workers. These two companies were formed to reduce the strength of government sector and to gradually privatise both. The method was to reduce the staff strength through VRS and also by disinvestment of shares, thus reducing the govt. share and hand over to private company as it has done in the case of Maruti Udyog Limited which became Suzuki and VSNL which became Tata Communications.

It is because of this, BSNL Employees under the Joint Forum/Joint Action Committee/Forum strongly opposed both VRS and Disinvestment and organised sustained struggles, including strike, which compelled the government not to impose both. Of course, still the recommendations are there to retrench 70,000 workers through VRS.

By merger of BSNL and MTNL, government is trying to kill both with one stroke, as they tried with Air India – Indian Airlines Merger.

In this connection, our demand is that before any discussion on merger of BSNL and  MTNL, three conditions should be fulfilled. (1). The 46.5% shares disinvested by MTNL should be bought back (2) There are liabilities to the MTNL to the extent of Rs. 20,000 crore; this should be waived / paid by the government and (3) the HR issues including different pay scales should be settled.

These are only but very reasonable and also unavoidable conditions. Otherwise keep the merger proposal in abeyance. BSNL employees can not agree to any merger without fulfilling these conditions.

 

SAVE BSNL, SAVE NATION – (2) – Compensation for loss making connections

26 Thursday Mar 2015

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, BSNLCCWF - Casual and Contract workers, BSNLEU, Forum

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At the time of the corporatisation of DOT services to BSNL in October 2000, the government gave three main assurances to ensure its financial viability. (1) Access Deficit Charges (ADC) will be collected from the private telecom companies and the same will be paid to BSNL (2) BSNL have to pay licence fee just like other telecom companies, but the same will be refunded to it and (3) There will be liberal support from the USO Fund for providing universal service (means providing telephone connections in the village and rural areas as part of the governments commitment to provide universal service).  It was also declared at the time of inauguration of BSNL by the then Communications Minister Ram Vilas Paswan that BSNL will be granted the status of Maharatna, which is above Mini Ratna and Navaratna status.

For a few years, ADC was collected and paid to BSNL. Later it was topped. In lieu of it an amount of Rs.1,500 crore was sanctioned and paid in 2011-12 and  an amount of Rs. 1,250 crore was allotted for 2012-13. But so far this latter amount is not paid to BSNL. ADC is completely stopped also.

In the same way, for a few years, the Licence Fee paid by BSNL was refunded. Now the refund is not given.

Though USO Fund was being paid to BSNL, it was far less than required. Approximately an amount of about Rs. 3,000 crore was being received by USOF from all the telecom companies together, but only about an amount of Rs. 200-300 was being paid to BSNL. The fund got accumulated to more than Rs.20,000 crore. Now all the companies are made eligible for USOF and BSNL is getting only a small portion.

With regard to grant of Maharatna, BSNL is granted only Mini Ratna, which in fact, is an insult to such a big company.

By going back from the assurances on financial viability and grant of Maharatna status, which gives more power to the PSU to take decisions etc., the government was making BSNL a loss making company. BSNL is in loss of about Rs. 10,000 crore for providing services in the interior and difficult areas. If the government fully compensate this loss, then the company will be in profit.

The Forum demands that the Government should honour its assurances and continue the support already assured at the time of the formation of BSNL. This is a major demand of the Forum included in the notice for Strike on 21-22 April 2015.

SAVE BSNL, SAVE NATION – What are our Demands?(1) Procurement of Equipments

25 Wednesday Mar 2015

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The 2.25 lakh executives and non-executives are going on Two days Strike on 21-22 April 2015 demanding that the government takes necessary measures to revive BSNL and strengthen it. The strike notice signed by the General Secretaries of the unions/associations have been served on the CMD BSNL and Secretary DOT with copy to the Hon’ble Communications Minister on 12th March 2015. Neither the DOT nor the BSNL Management has called the Forum of Unions/Associations to discuss the demands so far.

As per the call of the Forum, a massive Parliament March, participated by thousands of BSNL employees, Pensioners and casual Contract workers was organised on 25th February 2015 as a prelude to the Strike. Earlier a three days dharna was organised on 6-8 January 2015. Circle level conventions have been organised in many circles with the General Secretaries participating and preparing the workers for the strike. Call has been given for holding SSA level conventions as part of the SAVE BSNL Campaign. Serious campaign is going on in preparation for the strike. This is a “DO OR DIE” battle and every employee should be part of it.

What are the main demands raised by the Forum? Let us examine one by one.

1. Immediate Procurement of Equipments

One of the main reason for the present unenviable situation of BSNL is the lack of equipments. The mobile lines, Broadband Modem, Drop wire, telephone instruments, cables etc. are in acute shortage, which are required for the expansion and maintenance of service. Since 2006, this shortage continues,resulting blockade of advancement. While the private companies are free to purchase equipment without tender, BSNL has to go through a series of procedures before any purchase has to be made. Secondly, there is no fund with BSNL. When funds were available, the government did not allow purchase. The government should  now allow BSNL to take loans from Banks with its guarantee, otherwise banks will not give loans.

While the private companies are allowed to purchase from the Chinese companies which are comparatively cheap and efficient, BSNL is denied permission for the same citing national security. This should be cleared.

Management is purchasing towers from private companies, while the Telecom Factories of BSNL are producing the same, citing low cost for the private towers. This should be stopped. The towers manufactured in Factories should be made cost-friendly and the same should be purchased by the  BSNL, which can save a lot of money.

Many equipment could be manufactured in the Telecom Factories. (It is better to call them BSNL Factories instead of TFs.) These would be of good quality and cost-friendly and suitable for the BSNL network.

The undue and unnecessary delay being caused by the Quality Assurance in checking the equipment manufactured by the BSNL Factories should be reduced, so that equipment are made available quickly.

Forum Meeting will be held on 25th March 2015

23 Monday Mar 2015

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A meeting of the Forum of BSNL Unions and Associations of Non-Executives and Executives will be held at BSNLMS office, New Delhi at 04.00 PM on 25th March 2015 to discuss about the strike and connected programme.

Forum Circular on Strike of BSNL Employees on 21-22 April 2015

02 Monday Mar 2015

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FORUM OF BSNL UNIONS / ASSOCIATIONS

D-7, Telegraph Place, Gole Market, New Delhi – 110 001.

Forum/Circular                                                                                                               02-03-2015

2 Days Strike on 21-22 April 2015 by BSNL Employees

Serving of Strike Notice on 12th March 2015

Organise Massive Demonstrations – Hold Press Meeting

Dear Comrades,

The Forum of BSNL Unions & Associations heartily congratulates all the comrades who participated in the Parliament March on 25 February 2015 and made it a resounding success. About 5,000 employees from almost all the circles participated with the nearby circles bringing in large number of workers. Though the police authorities denied permission to organise the March, the thousands of employees led by the General Secretaries marched from the BSNL Corporate Office to the Parliament as decided earlier. The march was stopped near Jantar Mantar by the police where it was converted in to a rally. Com. C.Singh, Chairman Forum & General Secretary NFTE presided and Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, Forum welcomed all and spoke on the demands of the workers for the Revival of BSNL. The following General Secretaries / Leaders of the unions addressed the rally: Coms. P.Abhimanyu (BSNLEU), K.Sebastin (SNEA), Prahlad Rai(AIBSNLEA), K.Jayaprakash(FNTO), Suresh Kumar (BSNLMS), R.C.Pande (BTEU), R.P.Sahu (AIGETOA), N.D.Ram(SEWA BSNL), Hari Singh (BTU BSNL) and Sunil Gautam(SNATTA).

Com.Tapan Sen, M.P., General Secretary CITU, Dr. Dharam Vir Gandhi, M.P., Shri Vrijesh Upadhyay, General Secretary, BMS, Smt. Amarjit Kaur, Secretary AITUC, Com. Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary General AIRF& Secretary JCM Staff Side addressed the rally and extended all support to the Save BSNL Campaign. They also assured that they will take up the matter with the Government.

The Memorandum to Prime Minister demanding immediate assistance and action for the Revival of BSNL signed by lakhs of people was presented to the Prime Minister’s office by the leaders of the Forum. The Forum congratulates and expresses its thanks to all the leaders and workers who made the Parliament March a Historical Success.

Two days Strike on 21- 22 April 2015

The meeting of the Forum held on 27th February 2015, reviewed the preparation for the strike, the Save BSNL Campaign and the Conventions held in the circles. The fight is against the anti-BSNL policies and decisions of the government and it requires streamlined preparations.  In order to complete the Circle Conventions, and Signature Campaign, some more time is necessary, it was felt. Further, organizing the strike from 17th March as proposed will have serious complications being in the end of the financial year. As such, the meeting decided to organize a Two Days Strike on 21-22 April 2015, with further struggles if issues are not settled.

Strike Notice on 12th March 2015 – Lunch Hour Demonstrations

The Strike Notice will be served on 12th March 2015 signed by all General Secretaries after a massive demonstration at the BSNL Corporate Office. All General Secretaries are requested to be present on the day.  On the same day, Lunch hour demonstrations will be organized in all SSAs/Circles. Press conferences should be held on the same day at circle levels to give wide publicity.

Signature campaign

Even after submission of the Memorandum to the Prime Minister on the day of Parliament March on 25th February, more bundles of signatures are being received. It has now been decided that the time for completing the Signature Campaign is extended up to 31st March. The SSA / Branch Secretaries are requested to ensure signatures from the people and send it to the Convener, Forum at Delhi, so as reach before 31st March 2015.

Circle /SSA Conventions

General Secretaries are entrusted with the task of holding the circle level conventions wherever the same has not been held so far. These include A.P., Maharashtra, A&N, ALTTC, Assam, BRBRAITT, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, H.P., Jharkhand, NTR, Odisha, Inspection Circle, TF Mumbai, TF-Kolkata, Uttarakhand, UP(West) and BSNL C.O. In addition, Joint District level Conventions and Branch General Bodies should he held to spread the message of the strike. General Secretaries and Circle Secretaries should take initiative for the same and ensure that these are conducted well before the strike. The intention is that each and every employee should be contacted and motivated for the strike.

Wall Posters will be printed by the National Forum as required by unions.  The same will be placed in the websites of the unions & associations, so that the Circle Secretaries can take it and print locally in the regional language and supply.

Dear Comrades,

The Railway budget as well as the Central Budget has been presented in the Parliament.  While the Railway budget proposes handing over of Railway Stations to private corporates for modernisation, the main budget has proposed to disnvest Public Sector Units and also strategic sale of certain loss making PSUs. BSNL has always been a target of the government for disinvestment. It is, therefore, of utmost importance that BSNL employees have to prepare themselves for a ‘Do or Die Battle’ to revive the BSNL, which is the bread winner of lakhs of workers.

United struggle is most important. The strike preparations – conventions, Lunch hour Demonstration, Signature Campaign etc. have to be jointly organised to bring confidence to the workers.

We are on a crusade to defend, revive and strengthen BSNL,the service provider to crores of people spread in all parts of the country. We cannot allow the government to disinvest or privatise this national assety to please the corporates, Indian and foreign. We have to be prepared to defend BSNL to the last drop of our blood.

Towards the 2 Days Strike on 21-22 April 2015!

SAVE BSNL –SAVE NATION!

With Warm Greetings,

[V.A.N.Namboodiri]

Convener, Forum

 

 

NDA Government on Privatisation mode – Oppose and Defeat it

02 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by in BSNL - Better Service to the Nation, Forum, PSU, SAVE BSNL CAMPAIGN

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The NDA Government has started serious planning for selling of PSUs, both profitable and loss making. It is nothing new for the NDA, led by the pro-corporate BJP. It was during the earlier Vajpayee-led  government that the profitable PSUs viz. VSNL, BALCO, Hindustan Zinc, Indian Petro-Chemical Corporation, Centaur Hotels etc. were handed over to the private corporates, that too for far less than actual value. It failed to sell NALCO due to the strong opposition of the workers and the people of Odisha. In the same way BSNL workers through mighty struggles defeated the decision of the government to disinvest shares of BSNL.

Those dark days of disinvestment and privatisation of PSUs are coming back with revengeful aggressiveness. Only the united struggle by the workers and the people can stop this selling of peoples’ assets to the corporates for maximising their profits. This crony capitalism has to be opposed and defeated.

BSNL workers are on the struggle path for revival of BSNL and to defeat the Disinvesment of BSNL. The Two Days Strike on 21-22 April will show the mighty protest of the workers.

SAVE BSNL – SAVE NATION!

DEFEAT THE ANTI-WORKER POLICY OF THE NDA GOVERNMENT!

FORUM OF BSNL UNIONS & ASSOCIATIONS ZINDABAD!

BSNL Workers to strike on 21-22 April 2015

27 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by in AIBDPA - BSNL DOT Pensioners, BSNL News, Forum

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FORUM OF BSNL UNIONS & ASSOCIATIONS

Meeting of the Forum held on 27th February 2015

A meeting of the Forum of BSNL Unions & Associations was held on 27th February 2015 at BSNLMS Office, presided over by Com. C.Singh, Chairman, Forum. Coms. A.Rajmouli(NFTE), R.C.Pandey, A.Ganesh, Manoj Kumar Jha(BTEU BSNL), P.Abhimanyu, Swapan Chakroborty, John Verghese(BSNLEU), K.Sebastin (SNEA), Prahlad Rai, P.Venugopal (AIBSNLEA), K.Jayaprakash, Mohinder Singh (FNTO), N.D.Ram, B.Hanumantha Rao (SEWA BSNL), Sunil Gautam (SNATTA), Suresh Kumar, Tomar (BSNLMS), H.P.Singh (BSNLOA) and R.K.Ram (BTU BSNL) participated.

Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener, Forum, welcomed all and introduced the items to be discussed – Review of the Parliament March and the proposed strike of the BSNL employees. All the union /association leaders participated in the discussion and the following decisions were taken.

  1. The Parliament March on 25th February 2015 was well participated by thousands of employees and was a great success. Comrades from all parts of the country attended with more from the nearby circles. BSNL pensioners and casual & contract workers also attended. The meeting congratulated the employees for the massive participation. The March was addressed by M.P.s and Central TU leaders who fully supported the demands of the Forum and extended solidarity and support. The Memorandum to the Prime Minister, signed by lakhs of people demanding revival of BSNL, was presented by the representatives of Forum. The Parliament March has made a great impact on the workers for going forward with the strike.
  2. The meeting discussed in detail about the preparations for the Indefinite Strike from 17th March 2015 on the demand of SAVE BSNL. It was felt that some more campaign among the workers and public is necessary before the strike. Conventions are yet to be held in many circles. The NDA government is going on aggressively with anti-PSU policies including disinvestment and privatisation of PSUs as also anti-worker policies. These have to be exposed before the people and workers for getting maximum support. Sustained struggles with the support of the people are required for the same. Further, the month of  March is the end of the Financial Year and going on strike at the time will result in many complications for BSNL and its targets, which the Forum wants to avoid.  Considering all the above, the meeting has decided as follows:
  3. Two Days Strike will be organised on 21 -22 April 2015, instead of the proposed Indefinite Strike from 17th March 2015. The Strike notice will be served on the CMD BSNL on 12th March 2015 after holding a massive demonstration in front of BSNL Corporate Office. The Notice will be signed by the General Secretaries and they should be present when serving the notice to the CMD BSNL. Demonstrations should be conducted on the same day at SSA/Circle levels. Wide publicity should be given for the same. Press Conferences to be organised on the day at Circle levels, and if possible at SSA levels.

4. The Signature Campaign will continue till 31st March 2015 and the additional signed Memorandums will be presented to the Prime Minister on that day. The Memorandums should be sent to Com. V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener Forum, D-7. Telegraph Place, Gole Market, New Delhi – 110001 so as to reach before 31-03-2015.General Secretaries are entrusted with the task of holding the state level convention where it has not been held so far. These include A.P., Maharashtra, A&N, ALTTC, Assam, BRBRAITT, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, H.P., Jharkhand, NTR, Odisha, Inspection Circle, TF Mumbai, TF-Kolkata, Uttarakhand, UP(West) and BSNL C.O. In addition, Joint District level Conventions and Branch General Bodies should he held to spread the message of the demands and the strike. General Secretaries and Circle Secretaries should take initiative for the same and ensure that these are conducted well before the strike.

5. Posters will be got printed for the strike by Forum and circulated wherever required through the General Secretaries. Wall posters can be printed in the local language by the Circle unions.

All out effort is required for making the 2 days strike a complete success. Each and every worker should be contacted and his participation in the strike ensured. Joint effort by all the unions/associations at All India, Circle and SSA level is very much necessary. The Save BSNL Campaign and the 2 Days Strike should be organised effectively and successfully.

SAVE BSNL – SAVE NATION

V.A.N.Namboodiri

Convener, Forum

27-02-2015

 

 

 

PARLIAMENT MARCH ON 25TH FEBRUARY 2015 BY BSNL EMPLOYEES

26 Thursday Feb 2015

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PARLIAMENT MARCH  ON 25TH FEBRUARY 2015 BY BSNL EMPLOYEES

More than five thousand  BSNL Employees participated in the Parliament March held on 25th February 2015, by the Forum of BSNL Unions & Associations demanding Revival of BSNL and for a better service to the people. In addition to the employees a large number of BSNL-DOT Pensioners joined the March as per the call of the AIBDPA. Casual Contract workers also participated in large numbers. The March started from the Bharat Sanchar Bhawan, Corporate Office of BSNL at Janpath at 11.00AM. Under the banner of the Forum, the workers marched to the Parliament and held a rally at Jantar Mantar where they were stopped by the police.

The rally was presided over by  Com. C.Singh, GS NFTE, Chairman of the Forum and Com.V.A.N.Namboodiri, Convener  explained the demands contained in the memorandum to the Prime Minister, which was got signed by   lakhs of people demanding the revival of BSNL, which is in loss for the last few years due to the anti-PSU policy of the government and non-procurement of equipments. Coms.Tapan Sen, M.P., General Secretary CITU , Dr. Dharam Vira, M.P., Vrijesh Upadhyay, General Secretary, BMS, Amarjit Kaur, Secretary AITUC, Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary General AIRF& Secretary JCM Staff Side and leaders of the BSNL Unions viz. Com.P.Abhimanyu (BSNLEU), K.Sebastin(SNEA), Prahlad Rai (AIBSNLEA), Jayaprakash (FNTO), R.C.Pandey (BTEU), Suresh Kumar (BSNLMS), N.D.Ram(SEWA BSNL), Sunil Gautam (SNATTA), R.P.Sahu (AIGETOA)Ram Kishun Ram (BTU), Hari Singh (BTU) addressed the rally and extended all support to the Save BSNL Campaign.

The leaders of the Forum later submitted to the Memorandum to the Prime Minister  along with the signatures collected from the people all over the country.

BSNL workers have decided to go on Indefinite Strike from 17th March on the same demands.